HBO Fights of the decade Video: Barrera vs Morales I

Addie · Feb 25, 2010

COOK'D said: ↑

Corrales vs Castillo is a damn good fight. What gets me about Morales vs Barrera is the skill level. The accuracy and precision, the frantic pace, the cruel intentions, and the cultural significance. It was a do or die fight and both fighters treated it accordingly.

Watch the 3 punch combo Barrera lands at 2 min. 11 seconds into the first video Addie posted, the HBO featurette, or it happens at the end of round 9 if you watch the whole fight. Anyway, it's one of the most precise and deadly combinations ever to be thrown, landed, and took in any prizefight ever seen. This happens over and over.

The skill and violence verges on being abnormal.

True story: I took my father to see Pacquiao vs Marquez 2. After the fight at a small bar(near the elevators in the mandalay bay) we ran into Larry Merchant. My pops being who he is invited Merch to sit and have a drink and he happily(drunkenly) accepted. Immediately we got on the topic of Morales vs Barrera and what Merchant said still resonates with me.

He said he had never seen a fight like that before. He spoke of the emotion of the crowd that night. But, the thing that sits with me, is he said after the 5th round many of the Hispanics in the audience stopped cheering. He said it wasn't from lack of action, it was because everybody suddenly realized the damage these two men were doing to each other. He described it as "inhuman" and "grotesque". He said it wasn't fun for many of them anymore.

What he says resonates with me because without knowing why, I had felt the same thing.
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Wow. Thanks for the story. I wholeheartedly agree. The moment at the end of round 7 is truly special too. Barrera lands three flush shots to Morales jaw, frantic action, Morales bends over almost wilting, but then he remembers his identity, gets back up and starts throwing back. It's beautiful, really. That fight is just..on a higher plane to any other I've seen, for all of the reasons you've mentioned. What a tremendous story though.

In round 10, "You get the feeling Jim...that their almost giving too much to this. They're just emptying themselves."

COOK'D · Feb 25, 2010

Addie said: ↑

Wow. Thanks for the story. I wholeheartedly agree. The moment at the end of round 7 is truly special too. Barrera lands three flush shots to Morales jaw, frantic action, Morales bends over almost wilting, but then he remembers his identity, gets back up and starts throwing back. It's beautiful, really. That fight is just..on a higher plane to any other I've seen, for all of the reasons you've mentioned. What a tremendous story though.

In round 10, "You get the feeling Jim...that their almost giving too much to this. They're just emptying themselves."
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That's the combo I meant. I think I got it wrong and it was the end of the 7th instead of the ninth.

"You get the feeling Jim...that their almost giving too much to this. They're just emptying themselves."

I remember that too, almost giving me goosebumps. Thanks for the vids and the re-fresh of memory.

RogerB · Feb 25, 2010

Great GREAT fight ...always a joy to watch ...

Bill Butcher · Feb 25, 2010

Addie said: ↑

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sDjJMsalPM

How have I only just seen this?
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:happy

Greatest fight of all time.

2 of the best fighters of all time under 135 lbs in their prime, this fight had better win `fight of the decade` ahead of Corrales-Castillo 1 or Im gonna be one upset mofo.

Ps. Morales is the fkn man.

Bill Butcher · Feb 25, 2010

pound said: ↑

wtf are you talking about "how have I only just seen this?"

You HAVE had to already seen that whole fight............. my God!
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Take 2 seconds to use your brain before posting.... he`s obviously talking about this particular vid, not the entire fight.

(No offence) :good

Bill Butcher · Feb 25, 2010

Addie said: ↑

Dude...
This content is protected
. Trust me. I'm talking about HBO's feature of it. I actually own copies of three different commentaries of the fight, naturally, seeing as it's my favorite of all time.
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:nono

That would be me.

homebrand · Feb 25, 2010

Bill Butcher said: ↑

:happy

Greatest fight of all time.

2 of the best fighters of all time under 135 lbs in their prime, this fight had better win `fight of the decade` ahead of Corrales-Castillo 1 or Im gonna be one upset mofo.

Ps. Morales is the fkn man.
Click to expand...

it was a great fight, it was close, but to me Barrera clearly won it. I don't how Morales was declared the winner to be honest.

Bill Butcher · Feb 25, 2010

LukeO said: ↑

here's a question for you guys
Higher on the ATG list.... Morales or Barrera?
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Morales.... by no more than one or two places, they really are about as even as can get as rivals.

I wont mind anyone having MAB ahead... as long as its by a similar margin.

Bill Butcher · Feb 25, 2010

homebrand said: ↑

it was a great fight, it was close, but to me Barrera clearly won it. I don't how Morales was declared the winner to be honest.
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Probably because he answered everything Marco gave him in every minute of every rd bar a 20 second window in rd 12 & because he threw & landed more punches by the end of the fight & the KD wasnt legit.

Watch without sound... its a very even fight.

RogerB · Feb 25, 2010

COOK'D said: ↑

:happy:happy:happy

Couldn't agree more. "El Terrible" is my favorite fighter of all time as well. Although many do consider him an all-time great I still can't help but feel he is one of the most underrated and underappreciated fighters of any generation.

He embodied the idea of what legendary fighters are supposed to be. He lived a tough life. More often than not, with his father terrified in the corner, he'd downright abandon his own best interests to accommodate the wants of the crowd, the drunkards, the dreamers, the old and cynical boxing writers, grizzled and yearning for the pugilistic glory of years gone by. He gave it to us, to them, to the fighters he faced. He was contagious, his opponents would often raise their game to new levels as if by facing him for the first time they finally understood they were part of something special.

To quote one of my favorite artists, "The boy had skill". Beautiful balance, jab, murderous right hand, and feints a la Alan Iverson. That fake hook to the body that suddenly curved upwards to the head is still the slickest move I've ever seen in boxing.

****, I could go on and on. I won't. So, I'll end with this. Not in any way do I mean this as a dis to Manny, love Pac, like everybody else. No matter what anybody says, having closely followed Erik's entire career, he was years past his prime when he fought Pacquiao for the FIRST time. I'll always remember him in that fight. The war veteran, the underdog, his quiet calm before the first bell. He wasn't as fast, as strong, his legs weren't all there, nor his reflexes. But, his knowledge was, his experience was, his heart was. Going southpaw in that 12th round...

Can't do it. I lack the vocabulary and the experience to properly describe what that says about him as a fighter, about his career, or what it meant to the people watching, what it meant to Pacquiao. It was the perfect way to go out, and that's how I'll always remember him.
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I agree with ADDIE...very good post. Mucho Respecto ..Brudda !!!

Bill Butcher · Feb 25, 2010

COOK'D said: ↑

:happy:happy:happy

Couldn't agree more. "El Terrible" is my favorite fighter of all time as well. Although many do consider him an all-time great I still can't help but feel he is one of the most underrated and underappreciated fighters of any generation.

He embodied the idea of what legendary fighters are supposed to be. He lived a tough life. More often than not, with his father terrified in the corner, he'd downright abandon his own best interests to accommodate the wants of the crowd, the drunkards, the dreamers, the old and cynical boxing writers, grizzled and yearning for the pugilistic glory of years gone by. He gave it to us, to them, to the fighters he faced. He was contagious, his opponents would often raise their game to new levels as if by facing him for the first time they finally understood they were part of something special.

To quote one of my favorite artists, "The boy had skill". Beautiful balance, jab, murderous right hand, and feints a la Alan Iverson. That fake hook to the body that suddenly curved upwards to the head is still the slickest move I've ever seen in boxing.

****, I could go on and on. I won't. So, I'll end with this. Not in any way do I mean this as a dis to Manny, love Pac, like everybody else. No matter what anybody says, having closely followed Erik's entire career, he was years past his prime when he fought Pacquiao for the FIRST time. I'll always remember him in that fight. The war veteran, the underdog, his quiet calm before the first bell. He wasn't as fast, as strong, his legs weren't all there, nor his reflexes. But, his knowledge was, his experience was, his heart was. Going southpaw in that 12th round...

Can't do it. I lack the vocabulary and the experience to properly describe what that says about him as a fighter, about his career, or what it meant to the people watching, what it meant to Pacquiao. It was the perfect way to go out, and that's how I'll always remember him.
Click to expand...

My favourite post this year :good

Bill Butcher · Feb 25, 2010

darthhutchence said: ↑

Corrales Castillo is a better fight, there about even, but the end of Corrales Castillo is unbeatable.
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Cor-Cas 1 had a more spectacular ending but EM-MAB 1 is at least as action packed & a good 2 levels above as far as technique in boxing goes... thats enough for me to say that Morales-Barrera 1 is not only better than this fight but the best fight Ive ever seen.... PERIOD !

Oh yes, its true :yep

RogerB · Feb 25, 2010

Bill Butcher said: ↑

:happy

Greatest fight of all time.

2 of the best fighters of all time under 135 lbs in their prime, this fight had better win `fight of the decade` ahead of Corrales-Castillo 1 or Im gonna be one upset mofo.

Ps. Morales is the fkn man.
Click to expand...

Greatest fight of all time??? hmmmm tall order ...theres been sooo many classics ...

Defo top 10 ...up there wid Gatti/Ward , Holyfield/Bowe , Benn/Eubank, Leonard/hearns , Arguello/Pryor , Chavez/Taylor..shall i go on ???

Bill Butcher · Feb 25, 2010

RogerB said: ↑

Greatest fight of all time??? hmmmm tall order ...theres been sooo many classics ...

Defo top 10 ...up there wid Gatti/Ward , Holyfield/Bowe , Benn/Eubank, Leonard/hearns , Arguello/Pryor , Chavez/Taylor..shall i go on ???
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Its better than all of those... tho Arguello-Pryor & Chavez-Taylor also make my top 10.

Ward-Gatti is badly overrated, it was a case of Gatti schooling him for the 1st half of the fight then it became a good fight with rd 9 being one of the best ever but as a whole fight ?... nah.
Holy-Bowe was good but its not even the best ever HW fight never mind best ever fight period... Ali-Frazier 1 & 3 were much better IMO.
Benn-Eubank was a great fight but didnt have the elite technical skills of the EM-MAB fight.
SRL-Hearns 1 was a good back & forth fight but falls short of these fights as far as sustained action... it is only remembered because it pitted 2 of the best ever in their primes against each other.

Either way, it a personal choice.... for the record, my top 10 action fights are.....

1. Morales v Barrera 1
2. Chacon v Boza-Edwards 2
3. Chacon v Limon 4
4. Ali v Frazier 3
5. Leonard v Duran 1
6. Chavez v Taylor 1
7. Arguello v Pryor 1
8. Corrales v Castillo 1
9. Hagler v Hearns
10. Morales v Pacquiao 1

I might swap some of these around at times but no1 is always the same, probably no2 as well.

Glad to help :good

Addie · Feb 25, 2010

Bill Butcher said: ↑

Its better than all of those... tho Arguello-Pryor & Chavez-Taylor also make my top 10.

Ward-Gatti is badly overrated, it was a case of Gatti schooling him for the 1st half of the fight then it became a good fight with rd 9 being one of the best ever but as a whole fight ?... nah.
Holy-Bowe was good but its not even the best ever HW fight never mind best ever fight period... Ali-Frazier 1 & 3 were much better IMO.
Benn-Eubank was a great fight but didnt have the elite technical skills of the EM-MAB fight.
SRL-Hearns 1 was a good back & forth fight but falls short of these fights as far as sustained action... it is only remembered because it pitted 2 of the best ever in their primes against each other.

Either way, it a personal choice.... for the record, my top 10 action fights are.....

1. Morales v Barrera 1
2. Chacon v Boza-Edwards 2
3. Chacon v Limon 4
4. Ali v Frazier 3
5. Leonard v Duran 1
6. Chavez v Taylor 1
7. Arguello v Pryor 1
8. Corrales v Castillo 1
9. Hagler v Hearns
10. Morales v Pacquiao 1

I might swap some of these around at times but no1 is always the same, probably no2 as well.

Glad to help :good
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Agreed with every word.

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